The Love in the Language
by pdlbean
Summary: 100 chapters, each based on one of the most beautiful words in the English language. A story about the ups and downs of love and the beauty of words.
1. Incipient

**Hey everyone and welcome to a new crazy challenge presented to me by the two greatest people I know, my very good friends Angela and Sam. So, here's how this is gonna work. I have a list of the 100 most beautiful words in the English language. I'm going to make a one-shot out of each of those words, in no particular order. I'm going to try to have a basic storyline running through these, but we'll see how long that lasts. :P I can't promise a chapter every day like I did with One Fluffy Month, but I'll try to make them as frequent as I can. So, let's do this. Starting with:**

**Incipient – Beginning, in an early stage**

"Hey, Bones," Booth greeted into his phone cheerfully as he drove to the Hoover. "What's up?"

"I…" Brennan hesitated, feeling entirely ridiculous. Booth's brow furrowed at the uncertainty in her voice.

"Bones? Everything okay?" he asked gently.

"Yes, everything's fine," she promised. "I just… I feel rather silly about this."

"About what, Babe?" Booth chuckled at the exasperated sigh the pet name elicited from his partner.

"You know what? Forget I called. I'll see you later, Booth."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Booth was now utterly confused. "You aren't getting off the hook that easy. What's going on? Why did you call?"

"I don't have a practical reason to call, Booth," she admitted reluctantly. "I just saw you less than an hour ago. I have nothing of importance to tell you. I just… wanted to hear your voice."

"No April rain, no flowers bloom, you just called to say you love me." Booth laughed at his own joke.

"I didn't realize that would be a humorous reason to call you," Brennan said self-consciously. Afraid she would hang up on him out of embarrassment, Booth rushed to correct her.

"No, Bones, that's not a funny reason to call. It's a song. You know, Stevie Wonder." There was no response, so he put on his best Stevie Wonder impression and sang, "No April rain, no flowers bloom. No wedding Saturday within the month of June. But what it is, is something true. Made up of these three words that I must say to you. I just called to say I love you. I just called to say how much I care. I just called to say I love you…" Booth suddenly realized that he had been singing for an inordinate amount of time, and Brennan was letting him. He trailed off and cleared his throat embarrassedly.

"Oh." A slightly awkward moment passed before Brennan spoke again. "I'm scared, Booth." The sincere admission made every hair on Booth's arm to stand on end.

"Scared? Of what, Baby?" he asked softly. There was only silence on the line for an agonizing few seconds.

"Of feeling this way," Brennan decided to say. "I've never… needed someone this much. I've never had a desire to call someone just to hear their voice before."

"We're in a new relationship," Booth pointed out. "It can be pretty intense right at first. You don't have to be scared. You just have to let go. You know I'll be right there to catch ya." Booth nearly visibly winced. When did he become even more of a cheese ball than usual?

"I thought I was ready. But I… I love you very much and it terrifies me. Sometimes the emotion is overwhelming and I worry that one day I'll wake up and it won't be the same." Booth could hear that she was getting choked up, but knew she was trying to hide it from him.

"I'm not going anywhere. You and me? This is it. I promise."

"You can't…" she began to protest.

"I can," he insisted. "I can promise that."

"I'm just not used to this. My happiness is very much dependent on you and this relationship. I'm not impervious anymore. At least not to you. But I'm afraid that I allowed myself to be vulnerable before I realized how difficult it would be to be involved in this type of relationship. You're the only one who has the ability to hurt me in a way I'm not certain I could recover from."

"I'll never hurt you." His promise was sincere and heartfelt, which just caused the tears already pooled in Brennan's eyes to fall.

"I know you won't hurt me on purpose," she assured him. "But you can't guarantee that you won't hurt me by mistake. Neither of us is perfect."

"If I ever hurt you, Bones, tell me and I'll fix it." She hesitated once again and Booth waited patiently for her to continue.

"What if you can't fix it?"

"You kidding me, Bones?" he asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood. "Me and you? We can fix anything. I mean come on, we're Booth and Bones!" Booth heard her laugh under her breath and he knew she was smiling. He paused, not sure what else he should say to make her feel better. "Tell you what. I'll swing by lab with lunch at about noon. That sound good to you?"

"That sounds perfect."

"Okay, see you in a bit, Bones," he told her cheerfully.

"Booth?" she called just as he was about to hang up.

"Yeah, Bones?"

"I love you." Booth grinned and barely even noticed that he had gotten to the Hoover.

"I love you too."

Booth arrived at the Jeffersonian and after a quick hello to the squints; he walked into Brennan's office and found her standing with her back to him and her nose buried in a file. He put the bag of food he had brought on her couch, being careful not to rustle the bag. He smiled sneakily and tiptoed up to her, snaking his arms around her waist. She jumped in surprise, but quickly relaxed into his embrace. "You're late," she said without looking up from her file.

"How'd you know it was me?" he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She smiled and turned around to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and eyed him mischievously.

"Booth, what a surprise. I was expecting someone else," she said with a sly grin. Booth glared at her playfully.

"Funny, Bones." Her smile grew and she tightened her grip around his neck.

"Yes, I can be quite amusing."

"That you can be," he agreed and gave her a quick kiss before releasing her. "So, I brought you lunch from that vegetarian place," he told her as he picked the bag up off the couch and brought it over to her desk. "I even got something for me from there just to prove my undying love and devotion." He took the food out of the bag and began dividing it between the two of them.

"You just didn't feel like driving to two separate locations," Brennan pointed out as she took a seat at her desk.

"But I picked the vegetarian place instead of Thai, didn't I?" he said with a bona fide charm smile that earned him an eye roll. They settled into their respective seats, Brennan at her desk and Booth in a chair pulled up next to it, and began eating in companionable silence. "So…" Booth ventured after a moment. "Everything okay?" Brennan looked up from her food and gave him a quizzical look.

"Yes," she said skeptically, studying his face. "Why?"

"Well, just because of what we talked about earlier." Booth tried to sound as casual as possible. "You're not thinking that… this was a mistake or something, are you?" His face already looked heartbroken and she hadn't even said anything yet. She felt instantly guilty for making him worry about her own insecurities.

"I shouldn't have told you," she said apologetically. "I didn't mean to burden you with this. I'm sorry." Booth reached out instinctively and covered her hand with his.

"Hey, Bones," he said soothingly, "If you're having second thoughts…"

"No, Booth," she responded a little too forcefully. "I'm not. I want this. I just… I don't want to ruin it. I'm not used to being in this sort of romantic relationship. They only time I ever came close was with Sully and look at the mess I made of that."

"That wasn't your fault, Bones," Booth promised and began caressing the back of her hand softly. "Sully was an idiot for sailing off without you."

"He wanted me to go with him," Brenna pointed out.

"He should've stayed. I would've stayed if I were him. You don't want to go off sailing for a year? Fine, then we stay right here. I mean, even if I _really _wanted to go sailing, I'd stay behind if that was what you wanted." Booth suddenly realized that this conversation was rapidly turning into a metaphor he didn't quite understand. Brennan seemed to pick up on it too.

"Are we still talking about Sully?"

"…I'm not sure," he admitted. "Anyway, Bones, I don't want you to worry about messing up. If you're ever not sure about something, just talk to me about it. We'll find a way to get through it. I don't want to screw up either, you know? We're in this together."

"Partners," Brennan finished the thought. Booth smiled.

"Right. I'm not gonna let this go down the tubes," he promised. "So, new rule. Starting now. When it comes to us, we have no secrets. If one of us is worried about something, we tell each other. No matter what we think the other is gonna say. Then we talk it out and fix it. Deal?" Brennan thought about it for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Deal." She offered her hand to be shaken and Booth took it with a chuckle. He pulled her in closer and planted a kiss on her lips. They broke apart slowly and Brennan smiled contentedly, exploring his chocolate brown eyes with her own. She caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye and shifted her gaze to the door. Angela was standing in her office doorway with a goofy grin plastered on her face.

"Did you need something, Ange?" she asked her friend who was still beaming at the pair of them.

"Um," Angela stammered, "I just wanted to let you know that I finished the facial reconstruction and I'm running it through the missing persons database now." Brennan's brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Informing me of that is not required, Angela. I only need to know if you're able to confirm identity. You should know that by now." Angela smiled sheepishly and hurried out of the office. Booth laughed once she was out of sight and Brennan shook her head in disbelief. "I'm not certain if we suggested that she watch when we have intercourse that she would turn down the invitation."

"Bones!" Booth exclaimed and blushed fiercely.

"What? We're sexually active, Booth. I don't understand why you think that's so shameful."

"It's not _shameful_." He struggled to find the right way to say this. "I just like being discreet, that's all." Brennan chuckled at his obvious embarrassment and her heart swelled with emotion. Her smile faded as she thought about their recent conversation.

"I don't want to stop loving you, Booth," she said with a hint of desperation in her voice. Booth took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. He kissed each knuckle softly.

"Then don't," he said simply between kisses.

"It's not that simple," Brennan insisted. "I can't choose to love you any more than I could choose not to." Booth released her hand and sighed. "I don't want you to stop loving me either."

"Look Bones, just calm down, okay? We're not going to stop loving each other. You wanna know how I know?" Brennan nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. "I know because through everything… kidnappings, shootings, broken hearts, it's always been you and me. We've been through it all, Baby. But still, here we are. So whatever else they can throw at us? I say bring it on. We can handle it." Brennan allowed herself to smile and ran her hand up Booth's arm to rest on his shoulder.

"Promise?" Booth noticed that her tone was no longer worried and desperate, but light and flirty. He leaned in closer, not even noticing that his elbow was sitting in his plate.

"Promise." Their lips met and Brennan once again caught Angela with her nose practically pressed up against the window of her office. She sighed in exasperation.

"I wish she would stop doing that every time we so much as make eye contact." Booth looked behind him and gave Angela a friendly wave. She returned it and lingered at the window a moment longer before rushing off. He turned back to Brennan and gave her another tender kiss.

"Believe me, Babe. This is just the beginning."

**So that's the first chapter! As I said these will be able to stand alone, but there will be a thread connecting them all. 1 down, 99 to go! Tell me what you thought! Reviews make me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.**


	2. Inglenook

**Thank you all for the amazing reviews! And thank you to everyone who alerted as well. A very special thanks to Angela, Candace and Sam for their constant support and patience with my badgering. This story wouldn't even be here without them, so thanks guys! Now, without further ado, we march on. With:**

**Inglenook- A cozy nook by the hearth**

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Booth insisted for the fiftieth time that afternoon as Brennan bustled around her office.

"What, exactly, is fun about sleeping outdoors in less than hygienic conditions while running the risk of encountering a dangerous wild animal?" she inquired, not slowing her pace as she zipped from one end of her office to the other.

"Oh come on, Bones," Booth whined. "Aren't you the same Temperance Brennan who brags constantly about the third world countries she's visited for months on end with no indoor plumbing?"

"I don't recall ever bragging about the lack of indoor plumbing in developing nations, and that was out of necessity. I don't see the point of sleeping outdoors when we can have a perfectly satisfying weekend while staying in a hotel."

"There's just something about camping," Booth argued. "It's an experience you can't get anywhere else. It's freeing and primal and… rustic! Plus, I only have the one sleeping bag…" He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she couldn't fight the smile spreading across her lips. She leaned in and kissed him softly.

"Now _that _sounds fun," she agreed. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "According to Angela, spending a weekend away together puts us in 'stage 4' of our relationship. Although I've already told her numerous times that there are no such things as relationship stages."

"Stage 4… How many stages are there?"

"Eight." Booth grinned and kissed Brennan soundly.

"Well, I look forward to the next four."

"We'll never get any further than stage 6," Brennan stated matter-of-factly. Booth's brow wrinkled in confusion.

"How come?" Brennan shrugged.

"Because we're not getting married." Booth had about a thousand responses to that, but he bit them back. She was already nervous enough about the two of them. He didn't need to throw the marriage card out there.

"What's stage 6?" he decided to say.

"Living together."

"So… you're planning on us living together someday?" he asked cautiously. Brennan gave him a look. It was the look he liked the least, but still somehow loved. It was the look that said '_Booth, you're a moron and wouldn't make it a day without me._'

"Yes, of course. I was under the impression that this was a permanent arrangement." She broke eye contact and he could practically feel her slipping away from him.

"It is!" he promised. Brennan's features softened.

"Then it wouldn't be practical if we didn't share a domicile."

"Right," Booth began, knowing that when he opened his mouth again he would officially be on thin ice. "So… why wait?" Brennan looked at him quizzically. "You know, why wait to move in together?" he clarified. "If we're just gonna do it anyway, I mean. What are we waiting for? It's silly for us not to."

"Silly," Brennan repeated and Booth saw a flash of something in her eyes. It was gone as quickly as it came and she smiled at him again. "That seems like a rational position. I will consider what you said."

"Great. So, if we're going camping this weekend I should get some s'mores stuff."

"Some more of what?" Booth chuckled lightly and fought the urge to make a Sandlot joke. Instead he leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"I love you," he said earnestly when they parted.

"I love you too but that doesn't answer my question."

"It's not some more, it's s'mores," Booth attempted to explain. "It's a snack. Toasted marshmallow and chocolate between two graham crackers. It's the best, Bones." Brennan made a face.

"That sounds incredibly unhealthy."

"That's part of the fun!"

"Lining my arteries with plaque while avoiding all nutritional value is fun?" Brennan challenged and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Yes!" Booth insisted. "You'll see. I'll have you addicted by Saturday." Booth glanced at his watch and frowned. "I have to get going. I'll see you tonight." He gave her a lingering kiss and an extra peck on the nose before winking and walking away. "Love you!" he called behind him.

"Love you too!" Brennan called back and felt that now-familiar flutter in her chest when she did.

**-BONES-**

Booth arrived at Brennan's apartment that Friday evening and rapped on her front door. She opened it and immediately laughed at his appearance. "What are you wearing?" she asked, looking at the hat decorated with lures sitting on his head.

"What? It's a fishing hat. What about you?" He gestured to the belt she wore around her waist that held a canteen, a flashlight, and God knows what else. "Is that your camping gear?" She looked down self-consciously.

"I wasn't sure what I would need," she admitted softly. "I was about to call you. It's raining rather heavily. I don't think it would be wise for us to go on this trip."

"It's just a little rain, Bones."

"I don't see how we could have much fun camping in the pouring rain. Let's just do this another time." Booth sighed and walked past her into the apartment.

"I wanted this to be perfect," he complained and plopped himself onto the couch. Brennan joined him and began caressing his knee soothingly.

"We can go another weekend. It's not that big of a deal, Booth." He was still looking at her with that puppy dog face and she nuzzled his neck. She kissed him in a trail from his shoulder, up his neck, and to his ear. She began nibbling at his lobe and he tilted his head in reaction to the sensation. "How about… We go camping… Right here?" she asked between nibbles and kisses. Booth smiled seductively at her.

"I like the way you think."

A while later, Brennan dressed out of her 'camping gear' and into her pajamas. She walked into the living room to find Booth starting a fire in the fireplace. "Booth, it's the middle of June," she chided. "It's going to get too hot in here."

"Come on, Bones," he said cheerfully. "I'm gonna introduce you to the wonders that are s'mores one way or another." Once he got the fire going he patted the floor next him in invitation. He offered her a kebab skewer and a marshmallow. "Okay, Bones, watch and learn. Roasting a marshmallow is an art form, and I'm a master."

"Are you now?" she asked and nudged his shoulder with hers playfully.

"You bet. The key is to get it nice and brown without burning it. You can't leave it in for a second too long or too short."

"It really can't be that complicated, Booth." She stuck her marshmallow on her skewer and placed it in the fire.

"Hey, easy, Bones!" Booth warned. "You've got it way too close to the log!" She just laughed at him and his eyes widened as the marshmallow caught fire and slid off the skewer and into the fire. "See? That's what happens!"

"You're getting very agitated about something that is relatively meaningless." He sighed heavily.

"Let me show you how it's done." He put his own marshmallow on his skewer and held it just above the fire. "See? You have to get it evenly on both sides…" He pulled it out of the fireplace with a satisfied grin. "The perfect marshmallow." Brennan rolled her eyes and Booth reached for the graham crackers and chocolate. "Here, take a bite," he offered and held the sandwich up to her mouth. She leaned forward tentatively and took a small bite.

"It's okay," she appraised with a shrug.

"Okay?" Booth repeated incredulously. "Bones, nobody thinks that s'mores are 'okay.'"

"Well I do, so apparently that statement is incorrect." Booth shook his head.

"Okay, buzz kill." He stood up. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. I know how much of that s'more is left and you better not eat any of it," he warned playfully.

"I don't think there's any danger of that." Brennan waited until he was out of sight and crawled over to the s'more he had left behind. She picked it up and, checking over her shoulder one more time, took a large bite. She practically moaned as she savored the flavor. It was one of the best things she'd ever tasted. It bordered on a spiritual experience. But she'd never give Booth the satisfaction of knowing that. She chewed hastily and swallowed just seconds before he returned. She put the s'more back on his plate and quickly crawled back to her spot.

Booth reclaimed his seat next to the fireplace and reached for his s'more with anticipation. He frowned when he saw that half of it was missing. "Bones? Did you eat my s'more?"

"No," she replied innocently. Booth's eyes narrowed and he scooted closer to her. He smiled and leaned in to kiss a spot on the corner of her mouth. He leaned back and licked his lips seductively. "You had some chocolate," he explained.

"Oh," was the only response Brennan could muster.

"See? I told you. S'mores are like Seeley Booth. No one can resist. Especially hot forensic anthropologists." Brennan laughed lightly and kissed him. The chaste kiss soon developed into something more and any thoughts of s'mores or perfectly toasted marshmallows were instantly forgotten.

Sometime later the two found themselves, after some initial protests from Brennan about it already being hot enough in the apartment without the added factor of body heat, tucked into the same sleeping bag. "Explain to me how we play this game again," Brennan requested as she cuddled in closer to Booth.

"It's really easy," he promised. "I tell you three things about me. Two of them are true, one is a lie. You have to pick which one is the lie."

"Okay." There was silence for a moment as he thought.

"Alright, got it," he announced finally. "Number one, the day I got my driver's license I ran over Jared's foot and broke it in three places. Number two, when I was six I found a snail in a ditch. I kept it as a pet and named it Larry. Number three, a couple years before I started at the FBI, I just barely lost a baseball at an auction signed by the 1980 Phillies." Brennan didn't hesitate at all with her answer.

"Number two is false, although I think you should be disqualified for trying to trick me." Booth looked down at her, eyebrows raised. "While at the age of six you did find a snail in a ditch and took it home, you did not name it Larry. You named it Fred, after Fred Flintstone, because you already had a pet turtle named Barney Rubble."

"How… how did you know that?" he asked with an amused chuckle.

"You told me a few years ago," she answered casually. "When we were at the diner and discussing our childhood pets."

"How do you remember this stuff, Bones?" Brennan shrugged and snuggled closer to him, if that were possible.

"I love you," she responded simply. "And I make a point of memorizing details about the things I love."

"But I told you years ago," Booth pointed out with a satisfied smirk. "Does that mean you loved me then and were already memorizing every detail about me?" Brennan rolled her eyes at his cocky grin. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Perhaps," she began cautiously, "I've always loved you." Booth didn't respond and instead simply planted a kiss in her hair.

"Your turn," he told her softly.

"Okay. One, I once engaged in sexual intercourse, outdoors, in plain sight, in Yellowstone National Park." Booth's eyes widened.

"Whoa! You know, Bones, I could arrest you for that."

"I'm not aware of the statute of limitations on National Park sex, but I'd imagine that it's run out by now." Booth chuckled and kissed her on the head again.

"I guess that rules that one out as the lie."

"Oh, you're right. I'll amend it." She thought a second. "Alright. One, I've had rather awkward intercourse in a full swimming pool."

"Are these all gonna be about sex, Bones?" Booth interrupted. Brennan shrugged and kissed him on the chest.

"It's difficult to think of anything else when I'm naked and in a sleeping bag designed for a single person with you." Booth growled in response and crushed his lips to hers. Brennan smiled as they kissed fervently. She rolled them over so she was on top of him and inches from his face.

"I love camping," she said before covering his mouth with hers once more.

**2 down, 98 to go! Please tell me what you thought! I love hearing from all of you! Thank you again to everyone who reviewed and alerted last time. Until we meet again!**


	3. Penumbra

**Hey everyone! Thank you for the lovely reviews and alerts last time! I'm sorry I haven't been around lately, but I had a major case of writer's block. Then I was inspired while looking through my list of words. This isn't going to be a fluff fest anymore, fair warning.**

**This chapter deals with some strong T material, just so ya know!**

**Also, this chapter ended differently originally, but I saw two fics do similar things so out of respect for those authors I have changed the ending.**

**Penumbra- A Half-shadow**

Brennan lay in bed next to Booth trying not to focus on the intense pain that still lingered in her abdomen. It had started out as a dull ache that morning, and had gradually intensified all day. She took deep breaths to no avail and considered going downstairs to get aspirin, but decided against it. It wasn't that bad, really. She could ride it out. She shifted uncomfortably and grunted involuntarily. The movement made Booth look over just in time to see a tear slide down her cheek. "Hey…" he soothed and reached over to wipe the tear away. "What's wrong?" Brennan's eyes met his and she forced a smile.

"Nothing," she lied. Booth caressed her cheek softly.

"You sure?" he asked tenderly. Brennan nodded and Booth gave her a kiss that was tinged with uncertainty. She flinched as another wave of pain hit and her hand went unconsciously to her abdomen. "Stomach hurt?" Brennan looked up again and gave him a weak smile.

"It's just cramps," she assured him. Booth's eyebrows knit together.

"Cramps? But didn't you just have your… uh… cycle a week ago?" He distinctly remembered being sent out for a very uncomfortable trip to the store last Friday. 'Yes,' thought Brennan. 'That's how this all started.' Brennan just kept staring at him with a myriad of emotions swimming in her eyes. Booth tilted his head and ran his fingers through her hair. "You're sure everything's okay?"

"Yes, Booth. Stop worrying." She leaned in and kissed him soundly. She made it very clear just what it was she wanted to do, even though she knew it was going to be painful. Just as it had been the night before. And the night before that. Booth of course responded enthusiastically to her request and rolled them over so he was positioned above her.

Brennan tried to hide the intense pain their lovemaking was causing her, but she couldn't control the small whimper that escaped. "Bones? Am I hurting you? I'm sorry, Baby." Booth said with concern. Brennan urged him not to stop, but when she cried out in pain a second time he rolled off of her and looked at her with eyes wild with fear and confusion. "Bones? What's going on?" Brennan sighed and took his hand in hers.

"I'm sorry, Booth. I was going to wait to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Booth asked and slid closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. Brennan took a deep breath and rested her forehead on Booth's.

"My last menstrual cycle was extremely heavy. Much heavier than I have ever experienced. I have been experiencing abdominal pain and some bleeding the last few days. It is also incredibly painful when we…" Brennan trailed off, suddenly ashamed that she was having trouble being intimate with Booth.

"What… what does that mean?" Booth asked, his heart pounding in his chest. Brennan shook her head.

"I don't know for certain. It could be any number of things. It is likely to be something harmless. I have an appointment with my gynecologist tomorrow." Booth began caressing her hip absently.

"Do you have a worst case scenario or…" Brennan shrugged.

"It could be a lot of things. I could have had an early term miscarriage or it could be… cervical or uterine cancer." Brennan broke eye contact as she spoke the last part and she felt Booth's grip on her tighten.

"So you're telling me," Booth began, trying to wrap his head around the situation, "that you either lost a baby we didn't know about; or you have cancer?"

"No, Booth," Brennan promised. "Those are only two possibilities. You asked for the worst case scenario and I gave it to you." Booth nodded and blinked back the tears forming in his eyes.

"Okay, so we just go in tomorrow and they'll probably tell us that it's nothing, right?" Brennan nodded and brought her hand up to caress the back of Booth's neck lightly.

"Right," she promised.

"So you've known that something was wrong for a week?"

"Yes," she admitted. "This is the earliest my gynecologist could get me an appointment."

"And you didn't tell me?" Brennan winced at the obvious hurt in Booth's voice.

"I didn't want to worry you if it was something harmless." Booth shook his head incredulously. This was typically Brennan and it pissed him off.

"And then what? You just never would have told me that for a week you weren't sure if you had _cancer _or not? What if it _is_ cancer, Bones? Were you just gonna spring that one on me? 'Let's have lunch at the diner today, by the way I have cancer'?"

"I don't know," Brennan admitted. Her voice broke and she laid her head on Booth's shoulder instinctively. That completely quenched Booth's anger and he pulled her close to his chest. He planted a kiss in her hair and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Shhh, it's gonna be okay. It'll be okay. I'll be right there with you every step of the way, okay? No matter what happens, I'll be right here. You're gonna be fine. I promise, Bones. I promise." Instead of telling him that he could never promise such a thing, Brennan just listened to his pounding heart and allowed herself to believe that everything would really be okay.

**-BONES-**

Booth's foot tapped nervously as he waited for Brennan to come out of the exam room. He flipped through magazines without really reading anything and looked absently around the waiting room. Mercifully, the door opened and she stepped out. He was on his feet in an instant. "Well?" he asked impatiently. Brennan almost laughed.

"Relax, Booth. They can't tell you what it is immediately following the examination. All I know for sure is that it definitely wasn't a miscarriage." Booth nodded, not entirely sure how he felt about that. "She says that she saw something on my ultrasound and she would like to speak to both of us in her office." Booth took a deep breath. Wanting to talk to both of them didn't seem like a good sign. Booth gripped Brennan's hand tightly as she led him to the office.

They sat in the chairs across from the desk, Brennan's hand still in Booth's death grip. "It's gonna be okay," Booth said, more to himself than Brennan. She squeezed his hand in response. The door opened and Dr. Richards sat at her desk. She gave them both a polite smile.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Richards," she addressed Booth. He nodded slightly in response. He wasn't really in the mood for pleasantries. She opened the file in front of her and began flipping through the pages. "Well, Temperance, I saw some shadows on your ultrasound. Based on that compared with your symptoms I've managed to narrow it down to two possible conditions. More than likely we're dealing with a simple case of fibroids. Those are…"

"I know," Brennan interrupted.

"I don't," Booth replied and looked from Dr. Richards to Brennan and back again. "I don't know what that is." Dr. Richards smiled kindly at him.

"Fibroids are benign growths in the uterus. They're usually removed with a simple outpatient surgery. The other possibility isn't as optimistic, I'm afraid. There's a chance that you have uterine cancer." Booth gripped Brennan's hand tighter. "I'd say there's a 70% chance that it's fibroids. Those are pretty good odds. It's not time to panic yet. I'd like you to come in day after tomorrow for one more test, and we'll know for sure by that afternoon."

**-BONES-**

"I don't want to go to work tomorrow," Brennan announced as she and Booth settled in for bed that night at her apartment.

"Me neither," he agreed and gave her a kiss.

"I just want to spend the day with you. Let's go for a walk. Or to a movie. I just want to have a normal day." Brennan kissed Booth's chest and smiled to herself. "That sounded ridiculous, didn't it?"

"No," Booth promised. "It sounded like a good day."

"I'd offer sex right now but as it isn't an enjoyable experience for me at the moment…" Booth chuckled and kissed Brennan's head.

"I can go a while without it, Bones," he promised jokingly.

"I just want you to know that we would definitely be having sex right now if it were a remote possibility."

"Good to know, Bones." She looked up at him and the expression on her face snapped Booth's heart in two. He ran his fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. "It's probably that fibroid thing," he pointed out. "And that's just an outpatient surgery, right?"

"Depending on the severity."

"Right, but they're not dangerous."

"Not usually." Booth nodded. He repeated it over and over to himself. 'It's not dangerous, it's not dangerous...'

"I love you so much, Bones. We're gonna get through this." Brennan leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips. She fell asleep in his arms, basking in the comfort of his rhythmic breathing.

She awoke to find that Booth was no longer in bed with her. She frowned and stretched. Just as she was about to call his name, he walked into the room with a tray in his hands and a wide smile plastered on his face. Brennan lifted herself into a sitting position and eyed her boyfriend with bewilderment. "Oh, let me get that," Booth offered and put the tray down on the bed. He propped her pillows up on the headboard and scooted the tray over her lap.

"Booth, you didn't have to do this," she told him even as she began digging into her French toast.

"I know I didn't have to, I wanted to." He walked around the bed and settled next to her. He reached over and stole a piece of fruit from her plate.

"I should call Cam," Brennan realized.

"Taken care of."

"What did you tell her?" Booth heard the anxiety in her voice and saw the concern etched on her face and rushed to reassure her.

"Don't worry, I told her that you were feeling a little under the weather and I was gonna stay home with you today." A long silence passed between them. "So, what do you want to do today?" Booth finally asked. Brennan shrugged.

"Anything," she answered. "Booth?" Booth popped another slice of watermelon in his mouth and gave Brennan his full attention. "It's going to be okay, right?" Booth smiled sadly and kissed Brennan on the forehead.

"Yeah," he promised. "It's going to be okay." She knew it was silly, but just hearing him say the words out loud almost made her believe it.

**So there we go! I hope you liked it, and aren't too mad at me. :P Please tell me what you thought! Reviews make me happy on the inside… and on the outside too I guess. :P**


	4. Lilt

**As always thank you for all your lovely feedback! And of course thank you Sam and Angela for their constant help and support! Love you guys! So, up next we have:**

**Lilt- To move musically or lively**

"So what are we gonna do today?" Booth asked as he put their dishes in the sink. Brennan shrugged and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She rested her head on his back and sighed.

"Honestly? I don't want to go anywhere. I'm sure we can find something to do here." Brennan kissed Booth's neck and released him. He turned around to face her and wrapped his arms around her midsection.

"You sure, Bones? We can go anywhere you want." Brennan shook her head.

"I'd rather stay if that's okay with you."

"Sure, we can watch a movie. Or we could go for a walk?" Brennan looked around the apartment as if searching for inspiration.

"Why don't we clean the apartment?" she suggested when her eyes settled back on Booth. "Honestly, Booth. I don't know how you live in this mess." The truth was; all Brennan wanted was to have a normal day. She didn't want Booth giving her concerned looks and she certainly didn't want to be treated like she had to be entertained every second lest she fall apart.

"Clean the apartment?" Booth repeated incredulously. He surveyed his surroundings. He didn't think it was that bad. "Sure, Bones," he agreed anyway. He walked automatically to a drawer in the living room and pulled out a small radio.

"What's that?" Brennan asked, approaching him.

"This? It's a radio." Brennan rolled her eyes.

"I know that, Booth. What are you doing with it?" Booth shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously.

"Oh, I usually put it on when I clean. I found this oldies station about a year ago and I listen to it sometimes when I'm picking up the place."

"Why?" Booth hesitated. He knew Brennan's question was one of pure curiosity, but he still felt self-conscious about the childhood memory.

"Pops loved all that late 50's, early 60's stuff," he began cautiously. "He used to put it on all the time when he cleaned the house. He knew all the words to all the songs, and by the time I was ten I did too." Booth chuckled softly at the memories. "He told me that he used to dance around the living room with my grandma and they would forget what they were supposed to be doing so the house was always a mess."

"You've never told me about your grandmother," Brennan observed. Booth's eyes met hers. He smiled sadly and Brennan mirrored it.

"She was the best. She… She passed away a couple years before Jared and I went to live with Pops. When we used to visit she was always giving us tons of junk food. Our parents would tell her that she was ruining our appetite, but Grandma would say 'There's always another one right behind it.'" Brennan laughed quietly along with him. It was always a rare treat when Booth would share a story from his past with her. Booth sat in contemplation for a moment before turning on the radio and putting it on the end table. The commercial that was playing ended and his eyes lit up when he heard the opening chord of the next song.

"You recognized it that fast?" Brennan asked disbelievingly, but it fell on deaf ears. Booth was already singing.

"Here's my story, it's sad but true. It's about a girl that I once knew. She took my love and ran around with every single guy in town…" Brennan smiled at his genuine enthusiasm. "Come on, Bones!" Booth offered her his hand and she took it without hesitation.

Booth held her close and danced them around the room. As the song progressed, they began doing something akin to a swing dance. Brennan giggled uncontrollably as Booth twirled her around and dipped her nearly to the ground. The sound was music to his ears and he laughed heartily at her little yelps of excitement. "So if you don't wanna crawl around like I do, keep away from Runaround Sue!" Booth sang. He grinned mischievously and grasped both of Brennan's hands in his own. "Hold on, Bones!" he warned before spinning them both around, arms outstretched.

"Booth!" Brennan protested through her laughter. "You're going to make me regurgitate!"

"Regurgitate? Really, Bones?" Booth teased although they were still spinning.

"Booth, I mean it!" Booth stopped spinning and pulled Brennan into a tight hug. As the song faded, Brennan kissed Booth sweetly. "That was extremely fun," she admitted. "I quite enjoyed that song."

"Oh yeah, it's one of the best. There wasn't a day that I didn't hear this stuff growing up. Especially after I moved in with Pops. I could sing any of the big 60's hits by heart." The pair shared a tender look before Brennan let go of Booth and took a few steps back.

"Perhaps we should actually start cleaning now," she suggested. "I can see why your grandparents never got anything done if they were always listening to this. I find that this genre of music is particularly entertaining to dance to."

"You bet, Bones. The golden era." He winked at her and patted her behind affectionately for good measure as he followed her into the kitchen.

**-BONES-**

"I think we did a pretty good job," Booth said and scooted closer to Brennan on the couch. She surveyed the room and nodded.

"Yes, I don't believe I've ever seen your apartment so tidy."

"I didn't think it was that bad to begin with," Booth defended himself. "I thought I usually did a pretty good job keeping it cleaned up." Brennan didn't answer but instead gave Booth a look that earned her a playful punch on the shoulder. She grinned and rested her head on Booth's shoulder.

"Oh, I remember this song," Brennan said. The radio was still playing as it had been for the last two hours.

"Yeah?" Booth felt her nod against his shoulder.

"Yes, I remember hearing it as a small child. I think my mother was fond of it. I seem to recall enjoying it myself."

"It's a great song," Booth agreed. "I'm crazy… Crazy for feeling so blue…" he began singing softly in her ear. She smiled contentedly and snuggled closer to him. He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. The pair sat in silence and listened to Patsy Cline sing about the foolishness of love.

_"Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you. I'm crazy for trying and crazy for crying…"_

"And I'm crazy for loving you," Booth joined in softly. He planted a kiss on Brennan's head and she rested her forehead against his.

"Booth?" she said barely above a whisper.

"Hm?"

"Are there… Are there any conceivable circumstances under which you would terminate our relationship?" There was desperation in her voice and Booth pulled back slightly to look her in the eye.

"Of course not, Bones," he answered with sincerity.

"When we first began our romantic relationship I was fearful that you would tire of me and seek fulfillment elsewhere."

"Never," he promised and kissed her chastely.

"Not even…" Brennan hesitated. The subject was probably supposed to be taboo today, although neither of them had explicitly stated it. "Not even if I have cancer?" she finished the thought anyway.

"God, Bones. Of course not. If… if this is cancer we're dealing with, we deal with it together."

"I'll get fatigued, Booth," she reminded him. "If I have to endure chemotherapy I'll be in a nearly constant state of illness. I will not be very good company."

"So I'll be good company for you."

"Often in the case of uterine cancer a hysterectomy has to be performed." This was the subject that had been eating away at her for over a week. "If that procedure has to be done, then we will be unable to have children naturally. Would you still want to be with me then?"

"Yes, Bones." Booth would promise it a million times if that was what she needed to hear.

"That isn't rational," Brennan observed. "You're an attractive man. You could almost literally select any available woman you desired. One who could bear your children and who would probably be a far better companion than I am."

"Hey, Bones," Booth began gently, "I couldn't ask for a better 'companion' than you, okay? I love you. You're the only woman I will ever want, alright? And as for having kids… yeah, sure, I would like to have another baby. But if you can't? There are plenty of options out there. We'd figure it out together. Just like we do everything else. You can't get rid of me that easy." Brennan chuckled lightly and hugged close. "We don't even have to talk about this stuff right now. You're probably not even sick."

"I'm definitely sick," she pointed out. "It's a matter of severity."

"Okay fine," Booth amended. "Then it's probably not serious. So can we just cross that bridge when we come to it, please?"

"It's impossible to cross a bridge before you come to it."

"Exactly, so why even try?" Booth gave her another kiss before walking over to the radio and turning it off. He turned back to look at her and smirked at her confused expression. "So," he exclaimed and clapped his hands together in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "I'm going to make you lunch."

"No, Booth," Brennan protested. "You already made me breakfast."

"My house, my rules! And maybe if you're nice to me I'll let you treat me to dinner tonight." Brennan relented and watched him make a pasta salad from a box.

"So every time you brought the 'Booth family secret recipe' pasta salad to the lab for lunch it was from a box. This is very illuminating." Booth put her bowl in front of her and gave her a peck on the nose.

"You got me. But keep that one under your hat because that is classified information, Dr. Brennan." Brennan chuckled and took a bite.

"Booth?"

"What's up?" Her eyes met his and he instantly recognized the fear he found in them. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles softly. "What is it, Bones?"

"Are you frightened?" she asked, not allowing him to release her hand when he tried.

"Yeah," Booth admitted. "I'm scared. But just because we don't know. Tomorrow we'll go in and find out for sure that it's just fibroids and they'll fix you up good as new."

"If you're frightened then you think it's possible that it's cancer."

"Sure it's possible, and yeah that scares me a little bit, but like I said, tomorrow when we go to your appointment we'll know for sure. Then… we'll deal with it. We can deal with this, Bones. Whatever it is. It's just the not knowing that scares me."

"You're planning on coming to my appointment tomorrow?"

"Of course I am," Booth answered and squeezed her hand that he still held. "Why wouldn't I be there?" Brennan shrugged.

"Because you'd have to leave work early. You already took today off and I don't think your superiors would appreciate your leaving." Booth shook his head and instead of responding leaned in and kissed her.

"You're something, you know that?" Brennan smiled uncertainly and his heart suddenly felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. He realized that sometimes she still didn't feel like she was worthy of being loved. She wasn't even sure if he was going to risk getting his ass handed to him by his boss to go with her to get her results. He decided then; whatever he had to do to make sure she knew that she was loved, he would do without hesitation. Whether that meant being strong for her and masking all of the intense fear he was feeling or barreling through any walls she decided to build around herself. She was going to know that he loved her and that he wasn't going anywhere.

**Tell me what you thought! I love all the reviews I get so much you don't even know. :P**


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